Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-01-19
METEOR AND CosfEF."
The Brilliant Display Which Two
Beetles Made---How "Meteor"
Brought q Diamond TO Light.


J. These "breathing holes" suggesting {
our pet-loving children ''somethin,
alive" the gentleman and paper-ba
were Immediately surrounded. Tn
! girls retreated upon being told that tn
bag contained "1ying fireworks" tina
, might ''go off," bu5 the boys boldl
demanded ! sigit of the new fire
works. A peep into the bag cause
every boy to draw back with disguise,
/ face. l.--
"Ughl only two dead beetles.n on
-as.'oangste7 nuttered. "a mean joke
say.''
Here there was scream from al tn
/ children: "The big's a.hrel'
Truly the brown paper Tag locke.
as II ready to fall on the floor heal
of flaming paper. But our Cubal
friend. as he rescued it from bein.
tTampled on. coolly remarked:
THE beetles are Just opening thei
stock Of fireworks. Now put out th1
gas and We shall have fine display"
The gas was turned down, and BY
The intense beautiful light thai
streamed from the paper bag our face
CLEANED with a weird, ereenish tinge
AID We could read the letters on tht
newspaper in papa's hand. Those two
ugly beetles were the managers of thi:
pyrotechnic exhibition, for each car,
= ried on his shoulders two brilliant
stars, from which sbone light almost
supernatural in its intensity and the
beetles, constantly raising their wings
as II TO fly, showed their soft bodies
glowing like masses of living fire.
1t seemed impossible to realizs that
no heat accompanied this radiant light,
and the children were so afraid the
bag would take fire that, by advice OF
our friend, a warm bath was provided
tor our Kew pets, already named Ne
teor and Comet. SO they were gently
placed upon mimic pond in an oyster
bowl, with mimic rock island in the
centre. j. was lovely sight, the
water becoming a sea of liquid fire; and
as, the wonderful phosphorescent light
struck against the rock "a quartz speci.
menl, each diamond-cut crystal flashed
land sparklei with lovely prismatic
.colors.
/ When Meteor and Comet were tired
lof their bath they leiSurely climbed
upon the rock and went TO sleep.
Their lamps went out, and again they
became ugly brown beetles, with only
30 fattenei yellow beads on their
shoulders to show where the light came
from. These spots looked like glass,
aud the luminous body. when the
beetle is awake, seems to slime through
hem like flame through glass win
dow.
That night Meteor and Comet slept
in ventilated Ice-cream box, and a
'uch of banana and brown sugar was
/ Iprcyided Tor them, In case they should
feel faint during the night. The G CIban
gentleman told us that these beetles
were etdters, commonly called skip
Jacks, cllck-beetleS, snap-beetles. etc.
names given them because of a pc
culiar way they have of uljo!ntIng
their spines with clicking noise.
The legs of an elater beetle are so
shoIt that when turned on ITS back he
il as helpless as cdpsiZed turtle: but
nature has provided for the poor bug 4
! Sprineing-machihe The ''spine" fits
INTO socket, and by bending the head
and thOraX backward-a position
somewhat similar TO standing on its
lead-the beetle can withdraw the
spine from the socket, sudden jerk
causing it to slip Lack with a sharp
C lex, and with such force that the
skIp-jack is made 10 turn a complete
sumersault in the air, the beetle like
the ''springing man. at the circus. eX-
pecting to fall on his ieet. The W men
in South America place several elaiers
in a box with glass sides, and 60 about
their work by the light of this living
lamp, and Cuban beauties promenade
in the evening with flaming beetles
fastened in their glossy braid5.
Meteor AMI Comet dearly love to
sleep In the daytime, and always when
We take out our ice-cream box to dis
play the flre-bugs, We find our pets ap-
parently dead. After several frights
we have learned TO place the rogues
on their backs; and tEen 1t is funny TO
see them wake up, one leg at a time,
until all the legs aud antenuae are way
ing desperately about, liery glow
coming from the exposed body and
bright shoulder lamps of each strug-
Cling victim, Then the skip jackes
Will try to stand on their heads, and
the children are always delighted to see
our lady visitors jump rs Meteor and
Comet with sharp click turn somer-
sault in the air, sometimes repeating
this performance over and over again,
until they come down right side up.
One evening we were all disconsolate
at the loss OF Meteor, who. having
feigned death until we left him, had
flown away. Fearing TO miss gleam
from our pets lights, we had turned
out the gas, and the whole family were
down on their knees looking under
chairs, tables and couches. a shout
from child on an expedition under
the plano brought US all to the spot,
and there under the piano leg, snugly
hidden against the castor, safe from
broom or duster, glistened ''s0me-
thing" that not only dsZzled our eyes,
but gladdened our hearts. This some
thing was lOng-lost diamond that had
fallen from a ring, causing q pretty
maiden many bitter tears. The light
shining on the diamond came. as you
may have guessed, from the tiny fire
works on Meteor's shoulders, the run
away being hidden by its side.
That fre-bug more narrowly es-
capped a kissing than ever beetle did
tefore. and he seemed to rather enjoy
the situation, for he lighted up With
snch marvellous brilliancy that one
little one with a strong imagination
declared he blistered her fingers.
And so our flying fireworks have
brought good luck with them, and to
the children are delight, never 'liz-
zling" or going out. Rain makes them
brighter, and repairs are never needed.
The only expense for their maintenance
is tiny bit of banana and drop of
sweetened water